


Once You Fall

by sorasan0000



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Age Difference, Intercrural Sex, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-03-31 06:23:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3967753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorasan0000/pseuds/sorasan0000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A big annual celebration sweeps Su-won and Ju-doh away from otherwise hectic duties at Hiryuu Castle, leaving an opportunity for things that should have been said earlier to be said. However, will either of them take it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Early Morning Break

**Author's Note:**

> \- Alludes to lines said in chapter 92.  
> \- Written when chapter 106 was the latest chapter.  
> \- Will feature shippy Judoh x Suwon by the end.  
> \- Previously rated M, now rated E (chapter 5 is the rated E chapter).

_So great is the majesty of mountains long formed and rivers long forged. So great is the air most supple and fire of life so plentiful. As all that flows beneath the stars and the sky and the sun, the world drifts on eternally._

-          _Priest Ha-Neul, year 27 of the Sky Tribe reign_

The silence of an early winter morning enveloped the room as the long-haired young man curled under the warmth of the blankets. The dim illumination of approaching dawn signaled the moment he had been preparing for all week, but getting out of bed after what felt like another sleepless night was proving to be a difficult test of commitment.

A sharp scratch agitated his throat as he swallowed a gulp of dribble from his mouth. He wondered if a cold was coming on and settled for a pickled plum for an early morning snack as he sluggishly got out of bed and dressed himself in a typical commoner’s outfit with a white tunic, waistband, tan pants, and black shoes. He grabbed a golden clip to fasten his hair and flipped it across his left shoulder. Grabbing an array of clothing from the closet, he settled for a fur overcoat and stuffed the rest under his blankets to form a human-like silhouette.

Guards were stationed outside his bed chambers sometime during the night. He figured it wasn’t so much to keep intruders out as it was to keep him in. He pinned the actions on Advisor Keishuk, who was being one brave soul in meddling with affairs of the castle guard lately.

The thought that it might be General Ju-doh crossed his mind, but he sadly smiled and a gloom blanketed his expression. For the past little while, the man had barely talked to him, let alone tended to him. There were the small moments jabbing at his bachelorhood that got a reaction during the last tribe meeting and war campaign, but any attempts to engage him after that were met with a scowl and the cold-shoulder.

He inhaled and firmly pressed his bookcase forward, letting it turn and slide open without a single creak sounding through. The secret door directed him through a dark hallway that twisted and turned for five minutes of walking before revealing the door leading to the outside. He slowly cracked the door open to see if anybody was outside. He dashed for the bushes as soon as he saw it was clear and waited again.

For the next ten minutes, this stealthy maneuver was repeated before finally making it to the secret passageway he used as a child and continued to use to this day. It was a steep trail heading straight down to the town below, bypassing all stairwells. He rubbed his knees and stretched before taking in a breath and coughing twice.

“Okay, first stop is the plum shop on Fifth Street, and then,” he paused, breathing in one more time before continuing with an exhale, “I’ll just go from there.” He glanced around one final time for anybody, feeling his chest tighten when the man he hoped to see was nowhere in sight.

“Oh, General, General. Will today finally be the day I win at Hide-and-Seek?” he chimed.  He frowned and stirred his head in every direction to make certain that Ju-doh wasn’t around.

“It would help you wind down, too. You already—“ he broke off to silently tackle a coughing fit caused by the itch in his throat before finishing his thought.

_You already put up with enough as it is._

He pounded his chest and wiped away his watering eyes. One last time, he looked around to see if he had been discovered on accident. With nobody in sight, he set his gaze on the trail before him and began treading down slowly and carefully. The dim-lit path nearly led him astray even with the familiarity, threatening to make him lose control at any step.

 It was a risky endeavor, making him slip and bend for the majority, but upon seeing the final stretch, he broke out into a steep sprint. Cold breeze zipped past him as he felt his control slip away. He leapt halfway in the dash, closing his watering eyes as he imagined himself forever soaring in the air as creatures of the skies did. It was when he glided through the air like this that he truly felt like Sky sovereignty, if at no other time he did. He opened his eyes to blurry surroundings and an intense struggle to keep on his feet, but he was sure he was going to make the landing this time.

He continued running, trying to keep all of his focus on staying on his feet, but it was a battle he quickly lost as he covered his head and forced himself to tumble to his side for the rest of the way.  He rolled for a minute before lying completely still and groaning, holding his head and begging for order over the spinning world.  He pouted as he thought that if anybody could successfully do what he just tried to do, it was Hak. In fact, this feat was all started because of a dare they had as kids, and when they were 15-years old Hak successfully made it to the bottom without tripping.

After checking himself for any injuries and seeing nothing but common cuts and bruises, he walked through the unusually lively streets of the town with the hood of his overcoat covering his head.  Dawn still hadn’t broken, but shop owners were busy setting up for the big day. He smiled, waved, and greeted those he passed.

The owner of a local hair ornament shop stopped him and gave him an invitation for a special event that night. Striding further, the middle-aged woman running the wedding apparel shop invited him to try on outfits to show off to crowds later that night, which he chuckled off and declined. She puckered her lips and blew him a kiss before shooing him away.

“Won!” a young man yelled, catching his attention.

“Chin! How-“ Su-won was cut off as a pair of boots were hurled at his face. He struggled to keep the boots in his hands and held them to his chest once he had a grip on them.

“My grandpa says it’s going to start snowing tonight! Keep those!”

Su-won started rummaging in his pocket to take out some money, but the boy shook his head and gestured his hands for him to stop.

“They’re a defective pair, so they’re on the house!” He turned and ran away, singing a folk tune in the distance.

Su-won checked exactly where and how the boots were defective, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. He creased his brow from confusion and wondered whether he just cost an owner real money. It still made him uncomfortable taking things for free from the shops, seeing as he had plenty to pay for it all.

He paused in his tracks and peered up at the brightening sky.  There were a few dark clouds in the sky, but certainly not enough to make one suspect a snow storm, though it was better to trust the joints of an old man than a clear sky, as the saying went.

He sat on a bench and closed his eyes. They were feeling heavy from the previous sleepless night and all the others before it. Clearly, he hadn’t collapsed yet so he knew he was getting some kind of rest. Still, it was a bother feeling this way day in and day out. It had become especially difficult after his trip to Sensui. An encounter with the people serving as a reminder of his cruel betrayal, a cold and hard lecture from General Ju-doh, and the risky decision to conduct an invasion left him exhausted, yet restless.

He laughed to himself. He figured karma would begin to hit him sometime, but it had a funny way of conducting its business. Hammering him down from the beginning would surely do the trick. Taking a break by exploring the town on this one important day when people made merry and abandoned their everyday duties could possibly take the load off just a bit. It was why he wished he could drag General Ju-doh down, but that probably wasn’t going to happen.

With that final thought on the matter, he heaved himself up and attuned his ears for the sound of early patrol and headed towards the plum shop.

・・・

The young man’s hair flowed through the air as he slithered and swung his blade through the empty air. The fluid motions of his arms, hips, and legs made it seem almost as if he were performing a dance — a beautiful, deadly dance used to lure in prey before tearing them apart relentlessly. His clothing fluttered daintily as he twirled and violently flapped as he swung. The voices of agonizing enemies rang and jeered as allies cheered and awed in the distance.

The intermingling of cries rang in Ju-doh’s ears like a song. He nodded at how magnificent his king was. He always knew he was incredible, and even now, it baffled him how unceasingly impressed he was by this young man, barely a year younger than twenty.  It was true, but what worried him the most now was—

“General Ju-doh, do you think my skills have improved since last year?” the young man inquired cheerfully.

He clicked his tongue and folded his arms. “Yes. I’m pretty sure you would have lost to Geun-Tae had you not.”

His young king laughed and sheathed his weapon. He approached closer and put on a solemn, confused expression. “Then I guess I’ll go and kill Hak now, right?”

Ju-doh’s heart skipped a beat and his slight grin faded immediately. His blood ran cold, and the air surrounding them became dark. Those cheers and cries had all but ceased with those words.

Su-won unsheathed his weapon and turned around before adding, “Right, I should kill Yona, too. Right away, before they stop me from doing everything I need to do.”

Before Ju-doh could say anything, he heard a string stretch from behind and turned. Long, flowing red hair blocked any sign of a bow and arrow. However, the shining tip blew through before he could reach to stop it, piercing his master and sending him falling into the endless pit before him.

He broke out in a desperate sprint, stretching out his arm and tried to scream, but the darkness choked him.

“Your Majesty!”

Ju-doh shot up from his sleeping quarter with his arm outstretched. His hair was dampened from sweat, and his chest felt tight as he tugged at his undershirt. The ragged breathing wasn’t helping him feel any better, either. _Just what the hell kind of dream was that?_ he wondered.

The dawning sun hit his eyes just as he sat up, forcing him to shift himself lower on his elbows. He practicing inhaling an exhaling to calm his nerves as he did every morning, remembering that today was a holiday celebration and it was going to be a hectic day.

He grunted and threw the blankets out of his way. After dressing in his usual castle attire, he marched straight to the castle gate to check on patrol. Nods and gestures were exchanged as the guest list was presented, the guard formation discussed, and the plan in case of emergency revealed. Mu-Ah was among the guards, as was Gyoku to his surprise. The physicians were worried that it would take at least a year for him to hold a utensil again, let alone a sword. They caught his glance and nodded in greeting, which he returned.

While he wrapped up his instructions there, he heard a familiar fussing man from the rails of the nearby staircase. Rolling his eyes, he turned in the man’s direction and placed a hand on his hip.

“Of all the days. Of all the days! General Ju-doh!” he shouted.

He bellowed a sigh and straightened his shoulders. “Yes, Advisor Keishuk?”

The dark-haired man bent and caught his breath before snapping his angry glare back up. “Please tell me His Majesty is somewhere in the castle.”

Ju-doh’s stomach tightened. “He isn’t here?”

“He wasn’t in his room! How did he—“ he broke off and jerked his head straight at Ju-doh and stepped closer. “You know how he broke out, don’t you?!”

Ju-doh’s expression grew dim as he began avoiding eye contact. He sighed and tried straightening his shoulders more as he nodded.  

Keishuk fumed and placed his arms together. “Go and get him. He can play in the streets any day, but we have important guests to entertain and greet today.”

Ju-doh felt the veins in his temples pulsating. He knew what today entailed and his king’s actions were most irresponsible, yet the nagging of this man nearly a decade younger than him was more stressful than the former’s current disappearance. Fetching the king could be put off for just a little longer, but he knew Keishuk would breath down his back until it was done.

“Direct the guests as they arrive. This may take a couple hours,” Ju-doh muttered.

As they both went their separate ways, Ju-doh’s brow twisted as thoughts of his nightmare surfaced. At that point, he couldn’t remember all of the details, but he remembered one thing: an arrow piercing his king.

_Draw your blade in times such as that! ... If you want to die, please die after you’ve accomplished everything you set out to do!_

A sore lump formed in his throat as that memory rang through his mind. In a moment of rage and frustration, he said such spitting, cutting words. The face his king made that day was still quite vividly clear. His eyes were widened from surprise but glossed over with remorse as those words were aimed at him.

_I’m sorry … Next time, I’ll kill him._

_No. No, that was never the conclusion I wanted you to reach when I told you to draw your weapon, Your Majesty._


	2. Midday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An luminous figure dressed in bright yellow and a dragon mask flaunts through the crowds, leading Ju-doh on the course for a daily adventure.

Wavy hair swayed in the cold wind as it blew through the court yard.  A frantic clacking noise echoed as the two players vigorously placed one pawn after another before each became locked in a stalemate.  One glanced at the other through narrow eyes and the other glared before crackling.

“It looks like you’ll pay greatly for that mistake, Ogi.”

“Mistake, my ass,” the shaggy, long-haired man spat.

The small crowd held their breath as one victoriously raised their fist and slammed down a checkmate with their free palm. The other player yelled in defeat and thrashed their forehead against the board, sending chips flying into the crowd as they cheered.

“Pay up, Ogi!”

“Take us all to Ka-Shu tonight!”

The shaggy older man kicked the board across the court and raised his arms in frustrated defeat. The promise was to take everyone out to eat for the holiday, but he was far too cheap with his money and didn’t plan on actually losing. He sighed, slouched his shoulders, and agreed to the bet penalty. If it was just one day out of the year, he could easily win all the money he was about to spend back anyway.

As he stomped down the alleyway, a familiar man stood at the end, blocking any chances of him bypassing. He raised a brow and gestured a greeting. “My, my. It’s Square.”

“That’s General Ju-doh,” he said with annoyance.

Ogi shrugged and stopped as they came face-to-face. He put his hands on his hips and glanced over the general to see whether he was armed. As usual, he wore casual attire with a concealed blade. He could guess what business he had in town, as he had seen it repeated again and again throughout the years.

“I haven’t seen him. Check the western division.”

Ju-doh remained upright as he clicked his tongue and blurted that Ogi’s destination was the last he knew of to check. Ogi rolled his eyes as he listened to him complain that the search had been going on for three hours and there was no sign of him. Ogi put his hand to his chin and rummaged through his head for any possible ideas.

“The outskirts of the red-light district, the western division under my brother’s control, the northern division, the south, favorite shops—” he muttered and stood straight. “He might be moving around and you’re just missing him.”

Ju-doh glanced behind Ogi’s shoulder before turning heel and walking away. Ogi was surprised to say the least. He hollered after him, but the man simply bowed his head and disappeared behind the corner. The square man usually fought to get past him because despite listing all the possible places “Won” could be, the kid was usually hanging out either at a dumpling shop or with his party. Perhaps the poor man was getting tired of this little game. He knew for sure he would have given up years ago. It wasn’t very fun being pulled on a string by that brat.

。。。

Ju-doh stood in the shadows of two stands near Su-won’s favorite dumpling shop. It was always where he managed to find him, aside from Ogi’s court. The dumplings weren’t particularly high-class, but for some reason it held a superior significance over his master that he didn’t quite understand.

He shifted his weight from one leg to the other as he folded his arms and scanned the lively crowd. Children flocked together in a group waiting patiently for their dumplings to finish frying. Their parents and guardians merrily laughed and nonchalantly paid for their children’s delicious treats. The shop owners surrounding the stand beckoned the crowd with their own goods, from freshly captured squid to dried pears. The combination of marketed goods in this one little corner of town perplexed him. Dumplings, squid, and pears.

A sudden bright yellow flutter caught his eye as he scanned the crowd. A luminous robed figure glided through the cheerful crowd, eliciting exclamations of awe and laughter from the passing children. The mask they wore, shaped in the form of a dragon head, covered their entire face. Its stringy tail twirled and waved with the figure’s movements as they danced and played with the children and their parents. They waved a red string above one of the children and offered them a plum they slid from within their sleeve. 

Their long and unfixed light brown hair shined in the sun as it twirled and blew. Ju-doh knew the color of that hair on the spot and slapped his forehead, covering his eyes and sighing. How on earth did he miss him in that get-up? It was a hot yellow color, and nobody could miss witnessing a mask like that. He was really off his game as of late, but it was time to snap back to reality.

He observed sternly as his young king waved his farewell and continued gliding on his way. A scowl etched across Ju-doh’s brow as he removed himself from the shadows and set his sights on the figure leaping and flitting through the merry river of people. It confounded him how he was so easily able to maneuver through them all while he scrambled as if on rapids. The mask didn’t even have big enough eye sockets for the bearer to see clearly.

The radiant yellow shine disappeared from sight as the figure darted into an alleyway, making Ju-doh’s stomach churn in irritation. He was not about to let him get away after searching for three hours. He inhaled and barged his way through the rapids of cheers and grunts as he pushed and shoved his way through. He was nearly tempted to authorize his position to make them clear a path immediately, but he didn’t want to resort that just yet.

Just as he reached the other side and prepared to burst out in full sprint, his eyes spotted the same figure standing still at the end of the alleyway facing forward. He flinched and straightened his posture, catching his breath after the ordeal of swimming through the crowd.

“That’s as far as you go,” he echoed.

The masked figure taunted him by wriggling his hands on the side of his head and reproached with, “Catch me first.”

He glided swiftly down the next corridor of the alley, disappearing from Ju-doh’s sight. He cursed and broke through the murky and dark space. The sun was positioned a little past the middle of the sky, signaling a little past noon. Picturing the advisor’s irritated face as he dealt with rich and noble guests from across the territory and other parts of the country made him dread the aftermath of this chase, but given the current state of his relationship with Su-won, he didn’t mind the present moment as much as he was supposed to. His king never took him on a chase such as this in all the times this had happened, after all. What was he trying to show him?

As he was ready to turn the corner down the alley, his vision was flashed with yellow before crashing and tumbling over. They both lied on the frigid ground, groaning from the impact. Ju-doh kept a tight grip on the clothing, growling before yelling in triumph. “ I swear when we get back, I’m going to lock you in the library and have you do paperwork all day!”

“Ta-dah, you caught me,” Su-won muffled from beneath the dragon-etched masked.

Ju-doh’s pent-up stress had burst from the sprint and shout, but suspicion suddenly flared. The end of this chase was too easy, and he was sure Su-won stopped on purpose. He stood and helped the young man to his feet before awkwardly sliding his hand away and averting his eyes. Other than the formal glances and greetings in the castle, this was the first true encounter they had in a while.

“What are you doing in that outfit?”

“I’m the yellow dragon,” he bluntly answered.

“Right. Sky Day. Yellow dragon. Of course.” Ju-doh sighed and recalled the reverence behind this day. It was said that the eternal yellow dragon descended from on high just as the red dragon did and appointed a young man to be a ruler of what was now known as the Sky Tribe. It was set for the third day of this month because that was when the Sky Tribe officially came into its current reign of power 251 years in the past. Mighty generals throughout its relatively short history were honored, with General Yu-hon being the most recent addition. Traditional folk songs and dances were shared, the legend of the yellow dragon was continuously passed on, merchants took advantage of the celebration and made their fair share of profits, and nobles throughout the Sky territory were invited to Hiryuu Castle to celebrate.

Su-won lifted his mask, revealing a slight smile and a cautiously-creased brow. His eyes were averted as well, though he was more willing to speak further. “I’m staying in town for sure today, so I’m afraid I can’t go along with you if taking me back right now was your goal.”

“Wha—“ Ju-doh blurted before being cut off by Su-won pointing directly at him.

“And you,” he calmly asserted with a direct look, “ought to keep me company.”

There was a silence between them that broke instantly as a squawk escaped Ju-doh’s throat. He shook his head and gripped Su-won’s wrist, demanding in the most polite way he could manage at the moment to come back to Hiryuu Castle. The young man soundly escaped his grip by swinging his fist downward, shaking his head and grinning in the most slanted way.

Ju-doh sighed and took a moment to calm his nerves. It was clear this wasn’t like their usual squabbles, and he certainly wasn’t there to pick a fight. He could feel the tension running thick in the air, and Su-won remained cautious in his expression. Flashbacks of their last serious conversation flared up once more, allowing him to calm down easier. His brow softened and his scowl faded away.

“Where are you taking me then?”

Su-won’s eyes widened slightly. A small smile steadily spread across his lips as he remained quiet for the seconds following the question. The weary expression slowly vanished as he straightened his shoulders and gestured for Ju-doh to follow him. They began walking down the dim alley for the exit on the opposite side.

“There’s a shop called Ka-Shu near the outskirts of the western district. They hold one of the biggest celebrations for Sky Day every year.” He lifted the hem of his robes and flaunted them in front of Ju-doh. “This is all part of it, too. There are a few others dressed just like this going around town.”

“Is there something underhanded or secretive going on at this shop?”

Su-won shook his head and hummed a denial. He slowed his pace to walk right by Ju-doh’s side and continued on with his explanation. “They have discounts on everything today. They use this outfit every Sky Day to lure in customers.  I was simply doing them a favor.”

Ju-doh slouched and looked over in utter hopelessness. For three hours he had searched, thinking the worst had happened to him since he couldn’t find him in all his usual hangouts. Yet all that time he had merely been advertising. He wasn’t even sure at the moment that was the full story, but he accepted it without question.

As they came into the light, Su-won strapped his mask back on. Ju-doh peered over questionably and rolled his eyes in the opposite direction. They were met with a flood of customers lined up for a fresh batch of brewed tea offered by one of the shops. Su-won beamed and rushed for the line, though Ju-doh stood back and leaned against the wall. That distance didn’t last as Su-won turned around and waved for him to stand next to him. It was rather awkward to stand next to this strange garbed figure, and it was about to get even more awkward.

Su-won shouted through the mask and began his gliding motions, twisting and turning through the line and crowd surrounding them as he had done at the dumpling shop. Ju-doh motioned his hands to try and tell him to give it a rest, but the king was already spinning and stretching his arms in smooth, fluid passages. He glided his hands up across his chest and up to the sky as his hips swayed sensually from side to side as he maneuvered through the people. His hair swayed in the air with every whirl and thrust, and Ju-doh was mesmerized by it before he even knew what he was thinking. He clamped his eyes shut and faced away from Su-won for the rest of the performance.

Su-won shouted gratitude as he waved at the cheering crowd. Children crowded around him and began interrogating him about the mask. He took it off and handed it to one of the boys, who hurriedly ran away with it. Su-won gasped and took a step to run after him. However, he rubbed the back of his head and smiled, turning in the direction of the rest of the crowd. He accepted a cup of tea an older woman generously offered him before waving in Ju-doh’s direction.

Ju-doh remained stiff and pretended to be interested in something in the distance as he went back to his king’s side. He peeked at his face, which now basked in the light of the early winter afternoon. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and drops of sweat ran down his temples. His breathing was slightly heavy, though he thought nothing more of it since he had just performed.

Speaking of which, something nagged from the back of his mind from witnessing that feat. He cleared his throat and begged the question, “Your Majesty, since when have you danced like…” he slipped off as he saw Su-won’s eyes drift shut. His knees buckled below him as he swayed and collapsed before him, and he caught his head just before it slammed into the ground.

A bone-chilling tremor resounded in his chest as he held Su-won’s head upright. A gasp echoed through the surrounding crowd as the tea stand owner rushed to their side. Ju-doh protectively kept him at bay, insisting he would be fine taking care of it on his own. He frantically searched his body for any darts or wounds in fear of poison, but he saw nothing of the sort.

Lifting one arm around his shoulder, he dragged Su-won back into the alleyway which they came from and tried waking him. Lightly slapping his cheeks only made him groan, though it was a positive sign he was at least conscious. Ju-doh clenched his teeth and snorted in exasperation. “You had better not be faking it right now, or I will drag you back to Hiryuu Castle without reservation where you will really spend the rest of the day locked in the library with me.”

Su-won faintly giggled and cracked his eyes open before breaking out in a violent coughing fit. He insisted he would be fine and that with a bit of rest, he would be back up to explore something else. He clipped his chest before cracking a faint smile at Ju-doh and closing his eyes again.


	3. Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Su-won collapsed, what are the chances he'll be able to go back and accomplish his daily plans? Pretty plausible, if he said so himself.

_Plip_

There lied a stranger whose name could not be said, could not be heard, and could not be remembered. Blue and black shades of clothing remained motionless, stained with purple blood draining like the tempest that blew around them. Their left hand sprawled to the side as the other remained steadfast on their weapon. Emotionless eyes behind raven black fringes remained fixed upon the roots of the grain swaying to and fro in the golden sea.

There stood a stranger who could not remember, could not envision, and could not be consoled. Lilac robes danced and swayed as the wind blew. Their hands clenched something hard and stiff, and as they looked down with their glazed turquoise eyes, a hilt clacked as the blade attached to it was lifted. Gleaming red glistened as they held it to the rays of the sun, flicking drops as they swung back down in a fit of hysteria.

_Plip_

Golden waves of grain swayed violently to and fro, whistling and chirping as they enveloped the two. The scent of ash polluted the air, with scraps of ghastly bark and wood swirling in a sullen dance of turmoil and ruin. The debris couldn’t care to break from their space as the stranger’s throat cried in unabashed cries and screams. Their surroundings became but a blur before the world turned unremorsefully dark.

_You are…_

A sharp squawk escaped Su-won’s throat as he woke up with a jolt. His throat thickened, threating to squeeze the life out of him as he opened his eyes. His breathing was short and ragged and his forehead was damp with sweat. He peered down and grunted, seeing three layers of blankets piled on top of him and squeezing his body close to the bedding. It was no wonder he felt tightly trapped. He removed them quickly, rubbed his eyes, and clacked his tongue to swallow saliva for his aching, dry throat.

It certainly wasn’t his room, but upon walking to the window and cracking a look outside, he was currently in a room located near the second interior wall of Hiryuu Castle, though not far enough in to prevent escape. The position of the shadows indicated sunset was soon approaching, but he still had time to do what he had planned. His yellow dragon robes still covered his body, posing a threat to his scheme of escaping. They would beam within the rays of the sun, and every castle guest and employee would be hot on his trail for interaction and capture.

A clothing wardrobe caught his eye, and he quietly tiptoed across the smooth wooden floor to see if it had anything his size he could change into. From the shirts to the undergarments, therein lied dark apparel fitting for his escape, though an undershirt, a robe or overcoat, and a sash were all he needed. He would be sure to return them to whoever’s residence he was currently held within. He held a shirt to his chest and threw it on the bed, rummaging through the robes next.

“And tomorrow, he wants to construct a deal to expand the plantation!”

“No way. That’s amazing.”

“Heh heh! Can you believe it? I’m pinching my cheeks and trying to wake up, but this is real!”

In the distance, Su-won heard two familiar voices and scampered back to the window to strain his ear for better hearing.

The excited, higher-pitched voice sighed. “If only His Majesty were around. I want to thank him for giving me the opportunity to start all of this.”

The husky, low-toned voice hummed regrettably in agreement. “It has to be a pain being busy with work even on the holidays, but it’s strange that he doesn’t at least come out and say hello. It’s almost time for the sun to set.”

Su-won smiled and sighed. General Geun-Tae and Lady Yuno were two guests he hadn’t expected to come, and it disappointed him that he had already made plans as soon as they announced their last-minute attendance. He smiled from the news that the tea business was growing. It hopefully meant that Chi’shin’s recovery was blowing along smoothly.

A holler from a castle tower signaled the start of nightly games and frolic, encouraging children to be taken to the nursery. With the two taking their leave, Su-won twirled around to find more to wear, only to come face-to-face with a familiar scowling mug. His eyes widened and an awkward, scratchy laugh escaped his throat.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are these yours, General?”

Ju-doh grimaced and folded his arms. “You’re planning to go out even after you fainted?!” That was General Han Ju-doh, always straight and to the point.

Su-won straightened his posture and affirmed his plan of going to the town below again, which he could tell wasn’t sitting well with the man. Sighing, he relaxed his firm expression and tried to appear more reassuringly. “I just didn’t sleep well last night, but it looks like I got a solid four hours. I’ll be fine for the rest of the even-”

Two hands clamped down on his shoulders, wringing a jounce from his gut and chest. Rarely did he touch him, even when it was clear he wanted to bonk him from mere tomfoolery. He rolled his eyes toward Ju-doh to see downbent eyebrows and eyes riddled with a mix of fear, ire, and sadness. His breath skipped out, remaining hushed and still as Ju-doh clenched his teeth and huffed. He watched as his general opened his mouth to say something a number of times before clamping it shut and lowering his head.

The urge to give back reassurance was crawling up through the corners of his mind. His fingers unfurled as his arms rose on impulse, sliding between the space of the other’s outreach. His hands cupped chilled cheeks, his left thumb gliding over the rough scarred skin and gliding further still to the base of his general’s neck. His chest tightened and fluttered as he closed their gap and rested his head on Ju-doh’s left shoulder.

“I truly want to—even more so if you’re there.” Su-won tapped the tip of his shoe and shifted his weight, pressing himself intimately against the now flustered man. Su-won wrapped himself and around his back, hooking his shoulders from behind. His face flushed with warm delight feeling the increasing heart rate of his straight-laced subordinate.

“Your Majesty, you have a fever. Go to bed,” Ju-doh managed to grumble.

Su-won shook his head, digging his face into Ju-doh’s shoulder and muttering, “General, I don’t want to order you to come if I can help it.” He raised his head and brought his lips to his ear, finishing with a playful blow.

Ju-doh firmly gripped Su-won’s shoulders and drew him back in hopeless defeat. He stomped to the bed and swiped the undershirt into his grip and tossed it, where it landed on Su-won’s head. “Do whatever you want,” he said in a sharp whisper.

With that one addition, warmth completely filled Su-won’s chest and a smile couldn’t help but break though. Without perking up to look at him, Su-won tried to hide the relief threatening to shatter through his demeanor. The one thing he wanted more than anything the entire day seemed to be so far out of reach from their recent fall out, but here they were.

“General Ju-doh, were you waiting outside this place the whole time I was asleep by chance?” It was then that he peered directly at the man, who nodded, shrugged, and folded his arms. The slight flush he felt on his cheeks certainly wasn’t from being held down by three blankets earlier, and it wasn’t a fever, either. The butterflies fluttering in his stomach threatened to overflow and spill everything, though he held them at bay.

He pounced from that to discussing clothing. He continued to rummage through the wardrobe, asking what he could and couldn’t wear. He was only a few centimeters shorter than Ju-doh, and he certainly wasn’t as burly as the older man, either. Much of what he had would be baggy or plainly too big on him, but the thought of wearing his clothing elicited excitement from the corners of his mind.

 “What the hell? I could just go to your room and find something,” Ju-doh bluntly interrupted.

Su-won slid his long fingers through folds of gray and mischievously smirked. A feeling he couldn’t pin down flowed through his body, and it continuously beckoned him to tease Ju-doh for all he was worth. It surged as he brought the clothing to his nose and inhaled.

“It’s Ju-doh’s smell,” he murmured.

Ju-doh jerked backward and yanked the clothing away, snorting in a flustered fashion before throwing it clear across the room. “Fine! I’m giving you five minutes!” With that, he stomped for the door and incoherently muttered curses of embarrassment.

Su-won laughed and waved a temporary farewell. He patted his chest, trying to calm his pounding heart. The mixture of laughter and patting triggered a scratchy cough, causing him to freeze and Ju-doh to jolt.

“Are you sure about this, Your Majesty?” he asked solemnly.

Su-won swallowed more saliva, feeling the throbbing, piercing ache rebound and then subside. “Yes, let’s have our first stop be the dumpling stand.”

Ju-doh huffed and opened the door, reminding Su-won that before anything else, they would have to get past Advisor Keishuk if he happened to find out they were there and going out again.

As Ju-doh closed the door behind him, Su-won peered around to check for mirrors in the room. He sighed in relief and began unfolding and stripping once the coast was clear. His eyes closed from everyday precaution and habit. It was one of the steps he took to avoid spoiling his pleasant mood. Feeling his own bare body didn’t particularly bother him, and viewing it didn’t always throw his mind into discomfort, but when it did it wasn’t enjoyable in the slightest. The sensation of being entwined with the man he only recently came to love was still fresh, and he wasn’t going to soil it.

。。。

Ju-doh plopped the last of the squid he ordered while Su-won chowed the last of his dumplings. Su-won raised his arms to the sky and stretched, still stiff from his nap.

“Where are we going from here?” Ju-doh questioned.

Su-won put his finger to his lips and pouted, thinking about all the owners who had greeted him that morning. He listed a series of shops, such as the wedding apparel shop, the shoe shop, the hair ornament shop, the weaponry shop, and a string of other random and unrelated product specialties. “Where do you want to go?” he shot back at Ju-doh.

“Me?”

Su-won kicked the gravel and scratched the back of his head. “I wanted you to come along so you could enjoy a break. So shoot,” he trailed off and left the rest for Ju-doh to figure out on his own.

Ju-doh exhaled and peered around. He hesitated before pointing west, prompting the young king to lead the way before slowing down to stride next to his general. He slipped his hood over his head as they prepared to infiltrate an upcoming crowd.

The crowds had become even more thick and convoluted as the day dragged, but this one was particularly difficult to navigate. Su-won scratched his head and chuckled at the thought of trying to weave through the crowd as a yellow dragon now that they couldn’t even move without the crowd moving first. Ju-doh folded his arms and tapped his fingers against his forearm, exclaiming irritation with the crowd. Su-won tugged at his sleeve to try and calm him, a little habit that sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t. In this case, Ju-doh breathed in and out and became motionless before protectively creating a shield around the king with his arm.

Much of the crowd was a result of spillover from a stage play’s audience. A juvenile play was telling the story of the founding of the Sky Tribe. Su-won recalled hearing about it from Ogi and his gang as a child. It was said that a young man who could hear spirits was summoned by one of the five dragon deities to lead the nation along with the red dragon, King Hiryuu. He was the young man who started Kouka’s tradition of prophets and priests running important decisions of the kingdom, as well. Folklore scholars had a knack for arguing throughout history whether the yellow dragon warrior of legend and the founder of the Sky Tribe were the same character.

He wiped that train of thought away and grabbed Ju-doh’s wrist, softly pushing and shoving through the multitude. Along the way, voices and chatter converged as one, making it impossible for Su-won to pick out what his people were excitedly going on about. However, a familiar tune permeated his ears as he reached the edge, prompting him to hum along.

 

_So great is the majesty of mountains long formed_

_So wondrous are rivers long forged_

Su-won’s eyes shot wide and open as Ju-doh broke out in reciting lyrics of te traditional Sky folk song. He slowed his pace down to even out Ju-doh’s voice.

_So great is the air most supple and fire of life so plentiful_

_As all that flows beneath the stars and the sky and the sun_

_The world drifts on eternally_

 

Su-won stopped in front of a vacant stand and continued.

 

                _Our might lights our world_

_The clouds and the rain obey our command_

_As each plays their role_

_The skies and the stars guide our way_

 

“Year 27 of the modern Sky Tribe reign, originally written by Priest…” Suwon trailed off and shrugged. “Some priest,” he crowed.

“Ha-Neul,” Ju-doh chimed in.

Su-won snorted and turned to hide his twisting lips from breaking out in silent laughter, feeling a piercing glare boring into his back. “Ju-doh, you—“ he blurted out before losing his control and snickering, “You’re not as uncultured as you act!” He held his cheeks in his palms and tried hiding his scarlet tinge.

Before Ju-doh could grind the top of his head with his fist, a lanky woman they recognized as a local subordinate of Ogi called out Su-won’s incognito name and approached them in haste.  She tried to catch her breath before speaking, and they both straightened their postures to give their undivided attention to her.

“Won, Square, did either of you–“ she puffed and wheezed “–see my little boy?! He was wearing a yellow hair cap, black boots and pants, and a dragon-decorated overcoat?”

They glanced at one another and shook their heads. Su-won placed his hand on her shoulder to help sooth her hyperventilating while Ju-doh looked around for any possible patrol officers in the area. It sounded like they had a lost child case on their hands, and the last time this happened, it brought the city to a standstill.

“How long has the child been missing?” Su-won asked.

He woman raised an eyebrow and puckered her lips before lightly chuckling. “Oh no, I was just wondering if you had seen him. He was the star of the play! Well–” she coughed “—not _the_ star, but still my sweet shining little star, yep he was!”

Both Su-won and Ju-doh were left to stand agape. Sure, it was a relief that nothing was wrong, especially with it being a holiday, but they were seriously concerned during the small moment that lasted. Both blushed from embarrassment and shooed the woman away nonchalantly as she raised a playful ruckus and raised her pinky, a cursing gesture.

“Wait a minute, doesn’t she…” Ju-doh trialed off in a regretful tone.

“Yes, she’s the one who tells tall tales.” Su-won sighed.

As they strode down the boisterous current, they stopped to check various stands and shops. Children twirled and bumped into their legs as they flocked out of a sugar water shack. Ju-doh ordered a grape flavor while Su-won ordered iced blueberry. In near mindless preoccupation of drinking, they were caught off guard by a salesman jumping in their faces about the newest hour-glass clocks only the richest people could afford before.

As soon as they brushed him off, a wriggling 30 centimeter fish whacked Ju-doh in the side of the head, causing Su-won to spit his drink and keel over from laughter. Ju-doh tossed the fish back to the apologetic clerk and jolted as Su-won began coughing. He helped him to his feet as Su-won fought a battle of uncontrollable laughter and coughing fits. Embarrassed bellows echoed through the street as they both struggled to regain composure, causing passersby to point and avoid eye contact with the two, as it seemed to them, absurd men.


	4. Dusk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dusk falls, signaling the start of the highlight of the holiday. Though will Ju-doh and Su-won's inevitable conversation keep them around until the end?

“What? Ju-doh isn’t here? Are you kidding me?!”

A growl of disappointment sounded at the round table where the upcoming Fire general, Geun-Tae, and Yuno remained placed and heated as a sound game of Ougi finished for the night. Winners had been dubbed and losers either remained to mingle or left for more stimulating spectacles the castle staff had to offer.

Geun-Tae had previously dragged the young Kyo-Ga to his table before he could escape to become more acquainted with his new fellow general. Among the inquiries were how his studies at Hiryuu Castle were going and whether he was married yet to see if he could be riled up. Kyo-Ga only scoffed back, reminding the man that he was 32-years old when he first got married. With the subject sharply finished, the subject had switched to riling Ju-doh about the same matter, only to be informed he was out for work.

“Yes. Although, I saw him just two hours ago,” Kyo-Ga calmly answered as he took a sip of Yuno’s prized tea.

Yuno’s eyebrows creased before pouring more as Geun-Tae offered his cup. She peered about and pouted.

Kyo-Ga took notice and began peering around with her. He found it a little suspicious, too. He hoped there hadn’t been a disturbance and they were all idling by in sweet bliss. It was the captain of the royal guards to deal with security, and even his king had told him to take it easy the previous night. He was slowly learning that General Ju-doh’s work ethic was on a whole other level.

Geun-Tae sipped and loudly gulped before peering for himself. “His Majesty hasn’t shown up, either.”

Kyo-Ga blinked and turned his attention to him, scooting closer in a secretive, hushed manner. “Actually,” he glanced side to side, “I overheard Advisor Keishuk saying His Majesty was missing.”

Yuno softly gasped, putting down her cup carefully as Geun-Tae’s brow furrowed.

Kyo-Ga raised his hands in a defensive gesture and added, “His Majesty seems to do this every once in a while. He goes down to the town below and…” he paused and trailed off, seeming perplexed. “I’m not sure what he does. General Ju-doh usually accompanies him back. ”

Yuno smiled and folded her hands together. She blew into her tea cup and perked herself against her husband. “Then there’s nothing to worry about, right?”

Geun-Tae hummed indifference in agreement, though his brow remained folded, like something was pricking his mind and wouldn’t let up. They had arrived a little before noon that day, yet there had been no sign of their king. Kyo-Ga was saying this was a not-so-strange occurrence?

Kyo-Ga folded his hands upon the table and clenched, leaning in again. “I’m not so sure about that, either. You see,” he swung back and forth for bypassing listeners again, “General Ju-doh and His Majesty had some kind of argument a while back and haven’t really spoken to each other.”

Geun-Tae recalled that Ju-doh used to have arguments with the late King Il, as well. Was it really a good thing for the Sky general to have that kind of relationship with the king of all people? He rolled his eyes to the upper right, recalling a time when Ju-doh was forced to remove himself from one of the Five Tribe meetings a few years back.

“Do you know what it was about?” Geun-Tae pried.

Kyo-Ga shook his head. He was allowed to take his leave after the conversation and left to get ready for the fire show display in the court later that night. Though he had only meant to keep conversation going with his new comrade, the tension only thickened. While the guests were cheerful in general, some of them began to suspect something askew.

・・・

A multitude of people swarmed in and around Ka-Shu, a brown café decorated in golden tile and doorframes. The airy tunes of koto and erhu drew and plucked away in merry abandonment as some of the crowd danced. Others enjoyed the food Ka-Shu had to offer, from sweetened pears to fried vegetables to brewed stew.

Inside the café, a heated arm wrestling match was underway. Ogi clenched and growled, twisting his face as he fought to overcome his opponent. Barking and hollering echoes permeated his ears as taunts and cheers were thrown one after another. He spat on the table after hearing how much someone bet on his defeat, promising the pathetic sod he would be broke by the end of the night.  

“Ogi! You have to chug this entire canteen of jade wine in one go if you lose!” a waitress shrilled through the crowd.

With that, the entire crowd shouted in merry agreement. Jade wine was exquisitely rare and usually some of the most expensive liquor anyone could find once pinpointed, but it had a certain sizzle to it that left the throat sore if consumed in excess. The last time Ogi lost and had to do it, he couldn’t speak for a week.

Su-won steadily moved through the crowd, grinning gleefully as he drew closer to her. “Instead of making Mr. Ogi drink it all, why don’t you give half of it to Ju-doh if he wins?” he inquired of her, pointing to Ogi’s current opponent.

She grinned and glanced back at the owner, agreeing as soon as she was given consent. She lifted the staked prize to the air, evoking another wave of shouts from the crowd.

“Dammit, all of you can go to Hell!” Ogi yammered as he pressed for one final blow.

Ju-doh felt the brunt of the attack and pushed back, picturing Geun-Tae’s face on Ogi and finding renewed strength to put an end to the struggle instantly. As he slammed Ogi’s fist onto the marble, a roar echoed through the tavern and throughout the premises. He stretched and moved his fingers freely as celebrators clapped his shoulders and mocked Ogi as two bottles of jade wine were presented. Ju-doh scooped the neck of his bottle, rolling down his right sleeve.

Su-won gladly took the bottle away and reached his hand out for the payment he placed a bet on. “Mr. Ogiiii, the rin,” he sang.

“Brat, I have nothing to give you,” Ogi growled.

Su-won snickered and took his leave, rubbing the bottle to his cheek and grinning ear to ear. He looked back to see Ju-doh whispering something to Ogi before sternly walking to the deck where he currently stood.

“What did you say to him?”

Ju-doh huffed and rested a hand on his hip. “I told him that if he ever even suggested you do something like that again, I would do more than just beat him in an arm wrestling match.”

“You mean the ‘finger-slide-and-slick’?”

Ju-doh’s faced slightly tinged red. He brought his hands up as if to rattle Su-won until he was dizzy but stopped short and only clicked his tongue.

Su-won wasted no time in prying into the matter further. His smile had faded, leaving an expression that signified suspicion. He snuck a peek at his general, who was still trying to maintain previous composure and wondered if what he was about to ask would throw him back into the abyss.

“When was the last time you did that sort of thing?”

Surprisingly, Ju-doh wasn’t as flustered as he thought he would be. He was simply taken aback but promptly answered, “Five years ago,” as he coughed.

“I can’t imagine you in a brothel, let alone having sex.”

Ju-doh grimaced and ground the top of Su-won’s head lightly. He blinked and whisked his head in the other’s direction, wide-eyed and mute. A reddening flash spread across Ju-doh’s face and down his neck. His throat bobbled from swallowing his own breath, and the sweat he had worked up from his earlier match still dampened his hairline.

The curious young man found himself idly starring before catching himself. His cheeks flushed before averting as he heard Ju-doh gurgle and bury his head in his hands. A wild urge crept to the frontlines of his mind that Su-won wanted to purge, but it was so close to the tip of his tongue, so close to being spilt, that he had to clamp his lips down from taking a single breath.

Drums rumbled in the distance, riling up Ka-Shu’s clientele. The drums signaled the fire show: the highlight of the holiday. The voices of the masses, combined in a single blurry commotion, surged forward and stirred as many disposed of their trash and gathered their parties to their positions of choice. Su-won tapped Ju-doh’s shoulder and began running down the stairwell, shouting for him to follow.

Ju-doh quelled his rattling heart and followed suit, reflecting upon the image of his king forever in front of him.  He was always the first to charge, always doing as he pleased, but always in such delicate need for an onlooker and follower, which is who he forever would be. Even now, on a day they could set their everyday lives aside to pretend they were someone else. At least, that was how it was for the king before him.

Upon clearing the maze and reaching the outskirts of town, Su-won pointed toward a hill other groups currently claimed as their nightly settlement and gestured for Ju-doh, skimming the crowd right and left, to follow him to the very top.

Su-won stopped to chat with the young boy named Chin while Ju-doh peered around for any suspicious looks. He was only met with puzzled smiles and indifferent glances, and nobody seemed to know that their king was mingling among them. The longer it stayed that way the better.

“…uneven carvings on the bottom. They’re defective, so just keep them!”

The coarse old man raised his voice and knocked Ju-doh out of his focused concentration. He caught Su-won as he shrank back from the sudden exclamation.

“It’s still weird that they fit me perfectly, though.” Su-won teased.

The old man coughed and shooed them away, leaving Su-won smiling warmly. Ju-doh could only make out the very basics of Su-won’s expression in the illumination of dusk, but seeing the young man genuinely enjoying his time was becoming rarer. A small grin cracked his lips, and he was thankful for the cover the darkness brought.

Ju-doh spotted a husky woman sitting at the top, waving and calling out to them. She blew a kiss as Su-won pulled coins from his pouch and tipped her off as he sat himself down. Before settling on the ground himself, Ju-doh got a closer look at their seat saver and recognized her as a local wedding planner. A gut-wrenching twist took his breath away as it hit him, as it did once in a while, that the young man standing and smiling before him was of marriageable age.

An image that should have brought him relief brought nothing but heavy grievance to his conscious. Talks had already been going on before he ascended the throne, and it was bound to resume once the king’s plans to hasten Kouka’s recovery slowed down.

_It pisses me off._

His mind froze and his eyes widened at the thought. He grunted and tried purging it, but imaging his king interacting with someone placed above him with the ever slight chance of achieving peace of mind with this person only threatened to give him a stomachache. It was only recently that he started feeling this way, which aggravated him further still.

He heard rustling by his side as Su-won lied on the ground, his overcoat concealing most of his body and revealing nothing but his cold, doll-like face. Vapors of breath floated and diminished as the young man puffed several times.  His eyes were closed with no strain and his lips curved invitingly, unnervingly so. His long fingers held firmly onto the opening of his coat, trying to keep it as closed as possible. Unfastening his mantle, Ju-doh threw it flatly across the surprised young king and stopped short of pressing his palm against his cold cheeks.

Seeing the king wrap himself in his cloak and inhale its scent as he had done with his clothes earlier drew him back into the urge, though he glided the back of his hand against his forehead to play it safe. With Su-won leaning into the touch rather than remaining indifferent, he risked it and slid further down. He took his time as he slithered down with every minute of warming his skin until he reached the edge and drew back, resting his forearms against his raised knees.

A murmuring stir peeped as Su-won turned on his side and curled against his fretting general, paying no heed to the possible attention they were getting from their neighbors. He stretched his arm out and pushed Ju-doh to his back, wading out the small moment of irritation before it rolled into tranquility. His smile faded as he curled below the crevice of the older man’s arms.

“Ju-doh, can I get something off my chest while we’re still on this day?” he quietly asked.

As Ju-doh nodded, a crack echoed through the dusk sky. Children in the audience shrieked before shouting in excitement, drowning out Ju-doh’s verbal approval.

“I’ve been thinking about this for the past few weeks, and—“

_BOOM_

A flash of light illuminated the skies above Hiryuu Castle, signifying the crowd’s jumbled excitement. Disorganized and drunken tunes and melodies bloomed from patches of groups while lighthearted chatter flooded the hangout.

After witnessing the golden strands of fire thin out, Su-won lifted his neck to look upward at Ju-doh and continued softly, “I know you put yourself at risk for following me and gave up a lot yourself.”

Ju-doh didn’t move as Su-won divulged. He focused on the graying sky as he noticed the heavy clouds looming above.

 “But—“

_BOOM_

Su-won was cut off by another flash and explosion. As the streams of light dispersed and flickered again, Su-won lurched forward and bobbed his mouth up and down before clamping his lips shut and laying his head back down, sighing in reserved withdrawal.

“Won, do you want to go somewhere else?”

Su-won fidgeted his fingers below the cloak enveloping him and grew limp. Another resounding boom permeated the air, eliciting wonder from the surrounding children, as it had been a different, brighter shade of yellow this time.

“I’ll tell you later.”

Ju-doh combed his fingers through the silent young man’s hair and rolled onto his side to shield him from an incoming chill. Glancing at his king, he noticed downcast, shadowed eyes full of regret, submission, and sorrow. Realizing where he had seen those eyes before, he quickly stood to his feet, dragging Su-won up with him.

As a bright purple explosion lit up the gray sky, the two carefully slithered through the forts and began walking in the castle’s direction, with Ju-doh leading the way. The streets had drawn to a halt with the fire show, and all that remained were remnants of frolic and empty stands. Fire lamps lit the streets as they paced through, casting shadows on doorways and alleys. Amidst the peaceful hush of a town caught up in the throngs of outskirt celebration, a heavy, dim tension only followed them through without an exchange of words.

＊＊＊

Closing the creaking door behind him, Su-won unraveled the mantle around him and held it out for its owner to grasp. He inhaled and looked around the room, which looked to be in the same condition they had both left it in hours ago. Three layers of blankets remained crumpled and messy on the bedding, and the brown-shaded window remained cracked open.

Su-won took a chair from the corner and sat with his hands crossed while Ju-doh closed the window and stood facing him in front of it. Their eyes met and remained locked, with each trying to figure the other out in that moment. Su-won looked somber and open, though the dark bags under his eyes made him look exhausted and ten years older than he was. Ju-doh’s scowl was clean off his face before he marched across the room and knelt before his king.

“Ju-doh, it’s still the holiday. You don’t have to do that.” Su-won smiled and whispered.

Ju-doh slowly parted his lips and cleared his throat. He remained on his knees with a fist on the floor and spoke hurriedly, “You’re doing just fine, Your Majesty.”

Su-won raised an eyebrow and put his hands up against his chin and his elbows against his knees. With no slyness to his tone, he uttered disbelief in Ju-doh’s claim. He unclipped his hair ring and let his fingers slither through his hair as it came undone.

“No, you’ve managed to oust out corruption that had been going on for years within our own tribe, and you set out to investigate issues across the nation,” Ju-doh continued on as his eyes remained fixed on the wooden tile.

Su-won stood with his arms limp at his sides and walked past Ju-doh, reaching to open the window when he reached it. Explosions still sounded off one by one, lighting the dark room through the small space which the window allowed. His chest tightened as if threatening to crush his beating heart. He clenched and breathed to mellow his strain.

“I underestimated you at first. I knew you were capable, but not so capable that you were able to do all you’ve done in just under a year,” Ju-doh calmly carried on.

As another explosion resounded, the conversation came to a standstill. Su-won closed the window and glided across the floor, stopping short behind Ju-doh and remaining limp-limbed. When the general didn’t budge from his position, Su-won sat on his knees with his legs tucked beneath him and clamped his hand on the man’s right shoulder.

“I’m not sure how long I’ll last, General,” he finally blurted, resting his forehead against Ju-doh’s back and sliding his right hand back to the ground.

Biting his lips nervously and mustering the nerve to say what he couldn’t say after those murky moments of the day they returned from Sensui, Ju-doh breathed and blurted out what he desperately needed to say, as well.

“I’m sorry for what I said that day, Your Majesty.”

Su-won didn’t move.

“For what I said to you–” he paused, keeping his eyes locked on the ground. His gut twisted and his face began to scorch as he blurted, “It was unacceptable. I–” he hesitated again before whispering, “I know my temper is a problem, but what I said could have easily had me banished.” With that, he lifted his head and inhaled sharply. He kept his eyes closed, uncertain and worried about what his confession spurred.

The young man nuzzled his forehead against his back more, giving sign of liveliness and something more than a limp budge as a reply.

“And Hak?” he weakly inquired.

As Ju-doh recalled the vague memories of his nightmare, a chill ran through Ju-doh’s body, widening his eyes and finally being the trigger that made him look back at his master. He clenched his hands around his shoulders and with his brow bending he declared, “Draw your sword. You don’t have to kill him if you truly don’t want to. I don’t even know how you jumped to that conclusion, but whatever you do,” he cut off, taking the other in his arms and burying his face in his clothed shoulder before finishing with, “don’t die.”

With that final profession, Su-won allowed himself release. His body went limp, allowing strong arms to tightly wrap around him and bring him against his chest. A stream trickled down his face as his heart squeezed every regret that had pent up since that fateful reunion. His hand clamped over his mouth and his eyes screwed tight, trapping the stream of tears momentarily before they spilled over like a dam. Tremors wracked his upper body, possessing his limp body to cling to Ju-doh’s back desperately.

“Your Majesty, remember,” Ju-doh whispered, curling against his ear, “I betrayed them, too. They may come for you someday, and you may fall. Once you fall,” he lifted Su-won from his chest and hesitatingly cupped his face, sternly concluding, “I’m falling with you.”


	5. Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once it is established as "just for tonight", Ju-doh and Su-won consummate their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains explicit sexual content.

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

“General Ju-doh, are you there? General!” Mu-Ah pounded on the door outside his superior’s quarters, receiving no response. Spitting a curse under his breath, he hollered to the castle guards to continue standing guard as the town patrol gathered for a search party.

Hearing him patter away, Ju-doh took the blanket covering Su-won off and exhaled in relief, assuring him the coast was clear. His king peeked from beneath with disheveled hair and chuckled.

“They’ll have their hands full until midnight, unfortunately. I feel bad.”

Ju-doh rolled his eyes and threw the covering back over his surprised partner’s head. “You don’t feel sorry at all,” Ju-doh scoffed.

“I planned to use this entire day as an escape. It’s not like I hid it, either. They’re probably half-heartedly doing it under Keishuk’s guidance.”

Ju-doh flinched and began sweating, slamming his hands against his forehead. He saw Su-won tilt his head from the corner of his eye and felt his temples twitch. If only he could learn how to brush off Advisor Keishuk’s nagging as efficiently as he could. He wasn’t going to hear the end of it the next day; he knew that for sure. He was the Sky general, the second-in-command of the Sky Tribe, so why he had to put up with it was beyond him.

Two hours had passed since they returned from the show and had their talk. One hour of it was spent in total tranquility, each holding the other in their arms in the same positions they were in at the current moment. The other was spent regaining composure and talking more. However, just twenty minutes prior to Mu-Ah’s interruption, something had burst between them in a whirlpool of recklessness.

。。。

It happened in what seemed like a blur. Su-won grazed Ju-doh’s lips with his fingertips and drew himself in for a kiss. Ju-doh pulled back in puzzlement, his mind racing from his king’s forward gesture. Asking just what he was doing, Su-won quickly nudged against him and spilt it.

“Just for tonight, could we cut loose?” he asked as he slinked his arm around Ju-doh’s torso and trickled his back in a rolling motion.

Every feeling he tried to suppress for him as of late threatened to pop and spill over, but the memory of the wedding planner surfaced. He gripped the king’s shoulder and held him at arm’s length, shaking his head.

“Who is it, Your Majesty?”

Su-won lifted his brow and peeped a whimsical, “Pardon?”

Feeling his temple twitch, he quenched his irritation and swallowed air. Expelling a puff, Ju-doh stated spitefully, “You were hanging out with that wedding planner so casually. Who is the lucky girl?”

He could hear concealed snickering from his side, and what he saw was whole-body shivering and hands loosely covering trembling lips.

“We’re just acquaintances,” he blurted through shaky laughter.

Ju-doh felt his soul slowly but surely leaving his body. He swore he was the most done man in the Sky Tribe, and his king was the biggest culprit of them all.

Su-won brought his laughter under control and curled his grip around Ju-doh’s clothed bicep while alluringly gazing into his eyes. Once the grip was loosened and bent, Su-won closed the gap again and lightly traced outlines of his general’s chest with his fingertip.

“I want you. If only for tonight, please.”

The feeling of a foreign touch against his body sent shivers up through his neck, and the fact it was being done by Su-won made his nerves rapidly lose control. Resigning to the throbbing desire to conjoin with his master, he agreed.

“If only for tonight.”

Su-won nodded. “Yes. If only for tonight.”

Su-won brushed his lips against Ju-doh’s and lightly clamped against them. Ju-doh moved in, deepening the kiss and eliciting a sensual groan from the younger man. He groaned as a wave of tingles swept his chest when smooth palms slithered up and grazed his bare skin. As one hand slinked up the front, the other wrapped around his torso and lifted his shirt from the back. The combination of sensations excited him too quickly and he speedily broke the kiss to take a breath.

Su-won smiled and sat up, clenching the lent shirt he wore underneath the borrowed overcoat. He brought the loose fabric of the neckline to his nose before sliding one of his hands across his chest in circular motions. Ju-doh’s breath became shallower watching the spectacle, which Su-won took notice of as he straddled him. Su-won lowered himself, pressing himself against the general’s heated chest as he helped him slip out of his shirt. His arms slipped in the space between his general’s arms and chest and wrapped them around his broad shoulders while his backside remained perked in the air. He slid the underside of his right fingertips along the side of Ju-doh’s neck ever so lightly, smiling as he heard Ju-doh’s small gasps.

“You’ll pass out if you don’t take a breath,” he whispered as he traced his lips on the other side. He lifted himself just enough to come face-to-face with him, tugging his shoulders more firmly. 

Ju-doh narrowed his eyes and reached under Su-won to untie his clothing, keeping his gaze locked with the turquoise eyes above him all the while. In this dim room, his eyes looked endlessly dark, almost as if they were sucking him in.

As soon as the waistband was loosened and removed, Su-won sat up and let his arms dangle to his sides. As he curved his torso, the clothing he wore slid down his right shoulder, exposing pale skin that looked all too tempting to suckle and bite.His face was hit with the dim gray-lit light of the night, revealing a slightly flushed and lustful look over his eyes. It was enough to get Ju-doh’s blood racing uncontrollably.

Su-won took the piece used for the waistband and tied it around his eyes, giving Ju-doh a moment of confusion.

“I’m sorry,” he casually commented. “Sometimes I’m fine seeing my naked body and sometimes I’m not. Sometimes it feels like I’m covered in blood, and that mental image just won’t go away. I’m not risking that now.”

Ju-doh caressed his hands up Su-won’s chest, evoking a delicious gasp. Whatever his king needed was what he was getting, so he accepted it without scoffing and planned to take advantage of the blindfold’s use throughout the session.

“Ju-doh, could you tell me where you feel good?”

Ju-doh sat up quickly, causing Su-won to pull back in surprise. It was now Ju-doh’s face that hit the dim ray of light. Muffled squawks vibrated from his throat. 

Su-won sighed and smiled as he cupped his general’s face in his hands and leaned in for a kiss. It took some waiting, but Ju-doh’s lips relaxed and parted, allowing Su-won to lightly brush against them. He stroked his muscular arms and slowly trailed back to his chest, teasing him with a kiss that he seemingly refused to give.

“Tell me where you feel good.” 

“Isn’t that obvious?” Ju-doh asked bluntly.

Su-won spit out a short laugh, making Ju-doh cringe and pull back. “I’m sorry, but–” Su-won turned to the side and continued laughing. 

Growing more and more impatient, Ju-doh grunted and held the back of Su-won’s head, swiftly gliding forward and laying him down. The sound of the wind being knocked out of him was heard, and Ju-doh silently gasped. He took his hands away from Su-won’s head and pinned them to the bedding on the sides, which made the young man blink curiously below his blindfold.

His king was the one leading him on a string, sending quivers through his body, and leaving him longing for his most sensitive spots to be teased. Meanwhile, he dared not make a forward move, no matter how much he wanted to. This move he made, pinning him to the bed like this, was bordering a risky fence that he sat on the hinges of. This was the king of Kouka, his master, and the same young man he had been watching over for years. He couldn’t be dominant one in this exchange.

He sat on his knees and felt his chest throb as he beheld the partially clothed man below, with his long clothing sprawled to his sides and his full front side exposed. His legs were bent on top of Ju-doh’s folded legs on each side, leaving both of their groins free to brush up against one another. It was almost enough to convince him to leave altogether.

However, Su-won acted on it quickly. He wrapped his legs around Ju-doh’s hips and dipped his finger into his mouth, glossing it in his own saliva. He trailed it down his neck, onto his chest, and began circling and pinching his right tip. He rocked his hips forward and back, licking his lips and humming softly.

Ju-doh felt it happening again. His control was slipping away, but that hesitation he kept bottled up inside remained. His king wanted him so badly, and he was conveying that with his entire body. He could feel the heat in his groin escalate with each move, and he wanted it all the more with each passing second. What was it going to take for him to spill over?

“…Ju-doh…”

He snapped out of his thoughts as soon as he heard Su-won mutter his name through soft panting. “Your Majesty?”

Su-won shook his head and whispered, “‘Su-won’.”

Ju-doh’s eyes widened. Attempting to clear his throat, he coughed in a balled fist to speak up. “Your Majesty Su-wo-”

Su-won took his attention away from his own hardened peak and cupped Ju-doh’s face once more. “Not ‘Lord Su-won’, ‘Your Majesty Su-won’, or ‘Won’.” He breathed unsteadily and took a few seconds to compose himself before blurting, “Not ‘General Ju-doh’, either.” He breathed in long and hard and gave Ju-doh the most authoritative look he could manage in his compromised state. “Right now, we are just Su-won and Ju-doh, two regular Kouka citizens becoming one for the night.”

With that, everything in Ju-doh’s mind boiled over. He swept down with haste, clamping his lips over his partner’s, who cracked his mouth open to allow their tongues to slither up, down, and around each other. He slicked his tongue across the inner lining of the bottom lip, causing Su-won to gasp and clamp his teeth down from reflex. He missed his tongue just in time, as it had already ventured away from his mouth to the sensitive landmine of nerves where the neck and shoulder met.

Su-won’s hands, which where upon Ju-doh’s face just seconds before, were caressing his upper back and tracing their way lower. He let out several pitched pants and moans as his neck was sucked and nibbled. All the while, he kneaded his fingers against the bundle of nerves in Ju-doh’s lower back. He grinned in triumph as he heard the older man rumble.

“Mm-hm, there we go. That feels good?” He lightly traced his fingertips around the triangular area, evoking a tremor from Ju-doh’s lower body.  As his hands continued to worship Ju-doh’s muscular back, he bucked his hips upward to connect their groins, eliciting another low groan from above. Continuing his light traces across his lower back with one hand, he used his other to undo the string that held Ju-doh’s pants securely.

His onslaught was interrupted when his upper torso was embraced. Before Su-won asked what was coming next, a surprised gasp escaped as he felt a slippery and moist warmth envelop his left bud. It must have startled the man above him because he immediately took it away and furrowed his brow in yearning frustration.

“Keep going,” he beckoned.

With a nod, Ju-doh rolled his tongue over the stiffening nub and tweaked the other with his fingers, sending hot tingles shooting straight to Su-won’s roots. His eyes closed involuntarily as goosebumps formed across his arms and chest. It took much of his self-control to resist reaching for his slickening erection below. He felt that one single stroke would end it all, and he didn’t want this to end yet.

He returned to his original intentions and tried reaching around to slip the top of Ju-doh’s pants down. However, they were out of his reach, and his fingers could only knead his back. Vocal hums and grunts continued like a melody to Su-won’s ears. The very sound of Ju-doh’s rough, resonant voice echoing and filling the room was something Su-won desperately wanted to hear, and he had just the right idea to probe it out of him even more.

He propped himself up and interrupted Ju-doh’s play, to which he chuckled at as he saw him scowl. He gently brushed though his dark hair once and kissed his forehead as soon as he lunged upward to bring himself face-to-face. Ju-doh clicked his tongue and wiped his forehead, which Su-won truly couldn’t help but laugh at.

He cupped his left hand around Ju-doh’s scarred cheek and caressed his thumb over the rough surface. It became slightly heavy as his furrow-browed partner tilted his head and leaned his weight into his hand. His eyes closed and he sighed deeply.

“What next, Su-won?” Ju-doh implored as he turned and planted a deep kiss on his palm.

Su-won blushed slightly and hesitated. He still wasn’t used to hearing Ju-doh like this, and he knew to this would be his first and only chance. He pulled his hand away and blindly reached for the hem of his pants one last time before Ju-doh acted and gripped them himself.

“No fair,” Su-won pouted.

“I feel like I’m about to burst. I need to handle it myself.”

Hearing that, Su-won’s face flushed red. “I can’t take it anymore,” he murmured.

Ju-doh grabbed his wrists and wondered what he had done wrong, but Su-won shook his head and pushed him down onto his back. He scooted himself and stood on his knees above Ju-doh’s lower abdomen, grabbing Ju-doh’s hands and guiding them along his inner thighs. He gasped and moaned from the rough touch of callused fingers and palms.

“I want you right here,” he whispered.

Ju-doh gulped and sat up, wiping sweat from his forehead and exhaling. He worked Su-won out of the rest of his clothing and traced his callused hands down his back. He heard a short gasp, causing him to pause and glance. He continued when Su-won tilted his head and hummed in a questioning tone. His eyes narrowed as he slipped his hands down to rake his buttocks with two firm grips. 

“Nwah?!” 

The surprised exclamation had Ju-doh retreating again, but Su-won grabbed his forearms before he could pull back further. A grin stretched across his face, and his eyes widened with excitement and desire under concealment. He urged for it to be explored further. He kept his hands on top of Ju-doh’s as they tightened and fondled his back side even more.

Su-won grasped Ju-doh’s shoulders and held a muffled gasp as his rough hands slipped down and stroked the inside of his trembling thighs. Impatience grew the better of him as he took it on himself to grab the hem of Ju-doh’s pants, which immediately took one of Ju-doh’s hands away as he clamped down on Su-won’s wrist to thwart his second attempt.

“Ah-hah! I felt it this time!”

“I wasn’t lying when I said I was about to burst, so please let me go at my own pace!” Ju-doh maintained his forced formal tone through gritted teeth.

Su-won frowned and lowered his position, slipped the blindfold off one eye, and gave Ju-doh a stern look. He reached for his own slick warmth with his free hand and glazed the inside of his thighs, bending his stern look into one of longing. “Are you nervous?” he asked quietly.

Ju-doh didn’t answer. He simply looked downward and loosened his hold on the young man’s wrist. 

With his hand free to roam, Su-won hid his eye again and reached for Ju-doh’s entire erection through his pants and stroked slowly. A fluttering sensation formed in his chest and spread down to his abdomen and into his groin. Tingling pressure built up deep within him, and for now all he wanted was to have it. He lay himself down on his side, breathing ruggedly and longingly.

Ju-doh joined Su-won on the floor and slid between the parted fissure, overlapping his leg over his. He pushed deeper, dispersing a low and strained groan. The young man quenched, squeezing his legs together as his cock slide little by little within new warmth. The wave of excitement shooting through his body caused him to grip Su-won’s hips roughly, eliciting amewl from the excited younger lover.

 “More,” he shuddered.

The general wrapped one of his brawny arms around Su-won’s waist and settled the other against his chest. He kissed and suckled the crook of his neck, causing Su-won to spasm and chuckle.

“That tickles!”

Ju-doh snorted and began thrusting at a quicker pace, inviting the younger to gasp in excitement. He pulled his head closer and slithered his tongue to meet the other. As their tongues met and weaved around each other, he focused on their low end and pulled out from the hilt to the head and slowly entered again and again, tracking down a steady rhythm before speeding up the thrusts even more.

Su-won used his fingers to stroke his own throbbing, velvety member and let out short, uncontrollable pants as their tongues and lips continued to intermingle. As he mercilessly probed himself, Ju-doh’s length moved from dominating slick thighs to rubbing against Su-won’s erection. He consistently rubbed and hit along the bundle of nerves, which sent tingles of pleasure surging throughout Su-won’s groin. Before long, all he could focus on was the mounting pressure of release, and before he even knew what hit him, he grew hot, numb, and began throbbing intensely. Uncontrollable gasps and moans let loose as the frenzy possessed his entire body before setting him free, leaving him feeling relaxed and hopelessly exhausted.

He reached to caress Ju-doh’s unscathed cheek and smiled as he caught his breath. He lifted and peeked at his lover, whose look of concern mixed with arousal, was gratifying beyond description, and an alarmingly radiant heat emitted from being within close range. He only wished the room was better lit so he could see exactly how flushed and red his straight-laced partner was at that very moment.

“I came,” he heaved, slipping the blindfold back up.

“Are you trigger-happy or something?”

He bent his brow apologetically and turned onto his back. “It felt amazing.”

Ju-doh lifted and loomed over Su-won’s lying heaving figure and pinned him beneath his weight. He slid his erection between the moist crack of Su-won’s front thighs and wildly dove again and again without holding back. He was almost near his breaking point, with precum dripping from the slit and lubricating the soft, warm crevice. His king’s quiet panting gradually turning into resounding moans as his innermost areas were rammed from the new angle only heightened the tightening pressure building up within his innermost regions. Sweat dripped from his temples and down the sides of his face, leaving him conscious of his deeply flushed skin and pleading internally for his lover to stay hidden beneath the fold.

“Ju-doh, hngh—ah!”

“W-What?”

“Groan, yell, grunt, or whatever you want. Please, I want to hear you so bad.“

He clenched his teeth and gave into his order. He lifted himself with his muscular arms and set loose all he had been holding back, exerting loud, low growls as he thrusted harder and harder. He didn’t care in that moment whether or not he would be made fun of it later, but seeing the young man writhing in excitement below him in plain sight was too much to hold anything back.

Then he felt it. His groin tightened and grew hot, violently throbbing before blowing a stream of hot cum between Su-won’s legs. He rode out the pulsations, gasping for air as he screwed his eyes tight. He threw himself to the side before collapsing entirely.

His eyes opened when he felt a hand brushing away his sweat-drenched bangs, and to his surprise the blindfold was untied. A satisfied, yet bittersweet expression etched across his king’s face, and then he remembered that this moment was to be the last of its kind. He dragged himself closer and pulled him into an embrace, combing through his untied hair softly.

His rugged breath soon calmed down, allowing him to speak. “Regardless of how it is handled from now on, that will forever be one of the best experiences of my life,” he paused before clearly finishing with, “Your Majesty.”

Su-won nodded and buried his face in the crook of Ju-doh’s neck. “That goes for me as well, General Ju-doh.”

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_


	6. The Next Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue

Floor-length robes fluttered as a breeze flew through the courtyard. Raven black hair danced daintily in the air as the man stomped through the premises. Dark bags threatened to remove the eyeballs right out of his head, and his palpitating heart was enough to give way for a heart attack. He marched to the front gate and approached the guards.

“Any word?”

“Unfortunately no, Sir.”

He grit his teeth and flipped around, only to spot an unknown figure dressed in yellow sprinting through the far left hallways. Following suit was Ju-doh.

“Your Majesty, wait until I get my hands on you!”

The man dashed as fast as he could in his cloths without tripping, grumbling under his breath. “Well,” he shouted, “it’s about time! Do either of them know what time it is?”

Ju-doh spotted Keishuk and let the fake pursuit he and Su-won set up slip as he marched to meet the uptight man. Much of the tension he had pent up had just been released, obviously, so he felt pretty prepared to deal with the aftermath of his failure.

As soon as they came face-to-face, Keishuk gave him a tired, angry glare. He remained silent and sighed before murmuring, “We’ll all discuss this tomorrow.”

Ju-doh was taken off guard but gladly accepted the pardon. He observed the slouching advisor flutter and stagger as he headed in the direction of his quarters and turned to retire himself. With one final glance in the direction of the king’s quarters, a cold fluff of snow hit the tip of his nose. He looked up and around his surroundings to see the start of the first snowfall. He held his palms upright to let the flakes fall as he walked back to the room. Upon realizing how difficult the slumber could be that night, he decided a drink before bed would be a good idea.

______________________________

 

“And then the clerk lost control of a live fish and it ended up whacking General Ju-doh in the face.”

Geun-Tae crowed in laughter as Su-won relayed the story of the previous day’s adventure. He elbowed Ju-doh, whose face wrinkled and twitched and appeared to convey the murderous intent he wanted to bestow upon his senior.

As they broke out into their usual squabble, Yuno and Su-won enjoyed their cups of freshly brewed green tea. The warmth soothed Su-won’s aching throat, which made him do a double take and look at Ju-doh.

“Oh my…” he weakly laughed.

Yuno tilted her head and leaned in, curious to see what was troubling her younger companion.

“It’s just that I think General Ju-doh will be out with cold sometime soon,” he said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Yuno placed the back of her hand against Su-won’s forehead and pouted, saying, “You don’t seem too well yourself, Your Majesty. We’ll quickly wrap up our business and let you rest.”

Ringing in her husband, Yuno paid a final farewell along with Geun-Tae before walking hand in hand down the stairway. As they reached the bottom of the first stretch, Yuno glanced back to see Su-won and Ju-doh long gone and sighed.

“I’m so glad he was safe all along.”

Geun-Tae grinned and nodded. “It looks like spending the holiday together mended whatever troubles they were having before, too.”

Further from the stairway, Su-won stomped through the freshly fallen snow with his new boots, grinning warmly. He glanced at Ju-doh, who remained on the cleared pavement and folded his arms, observing with a soft expression.

Jumping from the snow and shaking himself off, Su-won pointed in the library’s direction. “It’s time to continue on, I suppose.”

“Yes,” Ju-doh swiftly replied.

“Apparently, there’s a disturbance near Xing. Inform Advisor Keishuk that a team is to be formed to investigate it.”

Ju-doh’s neck tilted and he asked why Su-won wasn’t forming a team to check it out himself.

Su-won looked at him half-lidded and gaped. “Every time I go out, Yona and Hak are somehow always there.”

Ju-doh’s heart skipped a beat, causing him to cough uncomfortably.

Recalling the nightmare he had and the talk they had the previous night, he figured this was a viable temporary option. Perhaps it was best for the king to remain within the safer walls of the castle, moving pawns and board pieces across the as he saw fit. There was no way he was going to remain that way forever, though. He was sure of it.

“May I request that I spearhead the investigation?” Ju-doh implored.

Su-won paused and frowned, standing straighter as his general waited for an answer. “Yes, you may if you desire. However,” he stopped and whispered, “just as you say you’ll fall if I do, I will lose an irreplaceable part of myself and my support if you fall, too. Be careful while you’re out.”

Su-won remained steadfast in his stride and tittered while Ju-doh nearly toppled over. Their voices faded in the commotion as castle business bustled on and a new batch of snowfall began to fall.


End file.
